Described herein is an operating device for a motor vehicle. By way of example, an infotainment system of the motor vehicle can be operated by using the operating device. The operating device may include at least one operating button for the manual actuation of the operating device, the operating button being arranged at a casing. Each operating button may be mechanically coupled to a switching element in each case, the latter being switched by the actuation of the operating button and producing a sound, for example clicking, as a result thereof.
In the context of the disclosure, an operating device should be understood to refer to an appliance which may include at least one mechanical operating button and a switching element that is mechanically coupled thereto. The switching element may be embodied to produce an electrical signal depending on an actuation of the operating button. By way of example, the switching element can be an electrical pushbutton or an electrical switch.
If an operating device is actuated by a user of a motor vehicle, i.e. if at least one operating button is actuated, feedback which signals to the user that the operating device was successfully actuated is desirable. Acoustic feedback is one option, i.e. an operating noise, for example a clicking, is produced in the passenger compartment upon actuation of an operating button. It is particularly expedient in this case if no additional circuit elements, e.g. a loudspeaker, are required for producing the operating noise. To this end, provision can be made for the switching element that is switched by the actuation of the operating button to itself produce airborne sound, for example a clicking sound.
A problem that may arise during the mechanical production of the operating noise by the switching element is that of the acoustic sounding too dull for the switching pulse. That is to say, the pronounced click noise of, e.g., a microswitch sounds very dull.
German Patent Application No. 203 04 661 U1 describes the arrangement of the switching element on a printed circuit board so that the clicking is particularly loud.